Advertisement mail constructions



NOV- 29, 1966 B. N. KUSHNER ADVERTISEMENT MAIL CONSTRUCTIONS Filed Jan. 29. 1965 rra FlG.I

FIGB

INVENTOR, Bernard N. KushnerJ ATTORNEY.

United States Patent O 3,288,350 ADVERTISEMENT MAIL CNSTRUCTIONS Bernard N. Kushner, 210 Virginia Ave., Bridgeport, Conn.

Filed Jan. 29, 1965, Ser. No. 429,001 3 Claims. (Cl. 229-70) The present invention relates to pieces of advertisement mail and more particularly to the type which includes an envelope `structure having a closure flap.

An object of this invention is to provide novel and improved advertisement mail constructions which in folded condition form a simulated envelope which is presented so the normal tendency will be for the recipient to swing the ap to open positionvand even if it is attempted to open the envelope with a usual held-in-hand letter opener, it will not cut along the flap hinge line, but movement of the opener will swing the flap; the gist of the invention being that a movement of the flap to open position, will automatically cause the shifting of an inner component, thereby accomplishing various results as for instance, a change of data seen through a window or the partial ejection of a letter contained in the envelope. If the envelope structure itself is to be unfolded and has printed matter on its normally inner surface, said animation occurs before such unfolding has even started because the animation depends solely upon movement of the flap.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel and improved advertisement mail envelope of the character described, whose closure flap is glued in a special manner to induce the recipient to swing the flap, and if a letter opener is used, to accomplish release and swing of the flap.

A further object thereof is to provide novel and improved advertisement mail constructions of the class set forth and having the attributes mentioned, which can be made of a single blank.

Still another object thereof is to provide novel and improved pieces of advertisement mail ofthe kinds described, which are simple in construction, reasonable in cost to manufacture and efcient in carrying out the purposes for which they are designed.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent as this disclosure proceeds.

For one practice of this invention, a substantially rectangular sheet is folded along two spaced horizontal lines thereacross to form the front panel, the back panel and the closure flap of an envelope; the front panel constituting the intermediate portion of said sheet. A slide panel positioned between the front and back panels in the envelope structure, is hinged along its top edge to the ap, along a line spaced from the flaps hinge line. Since it is normal to hold an envelope in hand with the flap towards the person holding it, for him to open it, it is preferred for the practice of this invention, that his address shall appear on the back of the envelope. The back panel has a window cut-out to expose the address which is printed on said inner slide panel. -It is evident that upon swinging the iiap to open position, said inner panel will slide away from the juncture line of the front yand back panels of the envelope. The provision of one or more additional windows in the back panel, will expose data on the slide panel when the envelope is opened by movement of the flap. Such exposed data ice may be only the name line of the printed address, and through the other windows in said back panel, other data or pictorial representations on said slide panel will appear, if such additional showings are desired. The slide panel may be a reply card, a reply envelope or as a further example, a punched I.B.M. card. Said slide panel may be of any desired width within the confines of the envelope.

The blank may have additional panel components which swing and normally lie within the closed envelope structure and the whole piece of mail may be made from a single blank. As a further modication, the envelope may hold a separate letter which is partially ejected therefrom when the flap is swung into open position.

The closure flap is weakly pasted near the central region of its free margin, thereby presenting a substantial length unattached. The normal tendency will be to swing the flap and since itfis normalin opening an envelope to hold it in the left hand, pinched by the thumb in front and the other lingers in back of it, or by pressing the envelope against the top of a desk or table, the inner slide will remain in contact with the front and back panels and hence will be free of sway away from the window cutouts.

In the drawing which accompanies and is part of this application, similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

FIG. 1 is `a perspective view of a piece of advertisement mail embodying teachings of this invention. No printed matter is shown except the address of the sendee. This construction is one-piece and is shown unfolded. It may be deemed a blank shown slightly folded to indicate the respective directions of swing of its various sections in relati-on to the front panel of the envelope structure. It is to be noted that in this embodiment, what is normally the Vback of the envelope structure, is here the front of the piece of mail as received by the sendee.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken at line 2 2 in FIG. l, when the piece of mail is folded closed and its closure flap sealed.

FIG. 3 is a similar section, showing the flap swung so the envelope structure is in open condition.

FIG. 4 is like FIG. 3, but of a slightly modified construction.

FIG. 5 is also like FIG. 3, but of another modified construction.

FIG. 6 is like FIG. 3, except that the slide is an envelope instead of'a card.

FIG. 7 shows a piece of mail in the hands of a recipient who has started to swing the iap open.

FIG. 8 is a similar View, but here the recipient is using a letter opener.

FIG. 9 is a similar view showing the flap swung to open position and of course, the slide has been shifted by such flap movement. The hands are omitted.

FIG. l0 is like FIG. 9, showing different window structure.

FIG. ll shows the piece of mail of FIGS. 7 or 8, fully unfolded and held in hand.

Referring to the drawing, the minimum structure required for the practice of this invention comprises the panel l5 which is usually the front of an envelope, the

panel 16 which is usually the back, and the closure flap 17, and also there is the slide panel 18 which may be a separate piece as will be later explained, but in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 3, said slide is integral with the ap 17, so the blank denoted generally by the numeral 19 is one-piece and may even include one or more swing-out panels as 20. The rear surface of the blank sections 15, 16 and the front and rear surfaces of the panel 20 are for the advertisement matter (not shown). In this embodiment, the panel 16 has a cut-out 21, exposing the name and address of the sen-dee in usual three-line formation, when the envelope is closed as at 22 in FIG. 7, and a comparatively narrow window cutout 23, through which only the name line of the address is exposed as shown in FIG. 9, or the cut-out 23 in FIG. 10, which serves the same purpose. Other cut-outs as 24 may be provided in the panel 16, to expose prescribed data 25 on the slide 18. The numerals 26 indicate glue spots which may be applications of pressuresensitive adhesive which will normally hold the envelope closed, but are easily undone at the commencement of swing of the fiap 17. The slide panel 18 and the panel 20 may be reply cards, coupons, envelopes, punched I.B.M. cards and the like, to be severed in whole or in part, as need be.

FIG. 6 is like FIG. 3 except that the card is an envelope 18"', which is severable along perforated line 29', so the portion between the lines 29 and 30 is the fiap thereof. The word slide as used in the appended claims, shall be deemed to include all forms of slides herein shown and their equivalents.

The blank 19, which may be with or without the panel 20, comprises a substantially rectangular sheet with the extension 18 from the normally free edge of the flap 17. This sheet has two spaced folds 27 and 28 horizontally thereacross to form the panel intermediate the panel 16 and the fiap 17. If for the moment, the panel 15 is deemed the front of the envelope structure, then panel 16 is the back thereof, and 17 is the flap which is folded to overlap the panel 16. There is a fold line 29 at the juncture of the slide panel 18 and the fiap 17 so the slide panel shall lie inside between the panels 15 and 16. There is a hinge line 30, on and down from the top of the slide panel 18, a distance equal to about half the flap height. When the envelope structure is closed as in FIG. 2, the bottom of the slide is near the line 27 which is the juncture of the panels 15 and 16, and the address 22 is exposed through the window 21, and a blank space of some notation (not shown) appears through the window 24. When the flap 17 is swung to open position, the slide 18 will be shifted upwardly as in FIGS. 9, l0, and only the name line appears through the window 23 as in said figures; the other lines of the address being hidden by the piece 31 of the panel 16, which is between the windows 21 and 23. Also, the data 25 appears through the window 24. All such data on the slide panel 18, is of course on the surface of said panel which is against the panel 16, and properly positioned to accomplish the above.

When the ar-ticle is folded as in FIG. 2, the line 30 about which the panel 18 swings, must be above the free edge of the panel 16, but the flap must overlap said panel. Hence the dimensions of these parts are made to suit this requirement.

When the piece of mail comes to the recipient, he naturally holds it with the address towards him as in FIGS. 7 or 8. The long loose portion of the ap 17, invites him to raise the fiap and so the adhesion at 26 is undone and finally the slide 18 is automatically moved as in the FIGS. 9 and l0. If an opener 32 is used, it will merely release the flap 17 and swing it upwards, accomplishing the conditions shown in FIGS. 9 and 10. The panels 15 and 16, being unattached except at their juncture line 27, will now be unfolded to the condition shown in ,FIG 11, and the panel is then swung out- 4 ward by him. The panel 20 and the slide 18 may be severed along the lines 32 and 30 respectively, which are perforated.

The slide 18' as in FIG. 4 may be a separate piece pasted on along its top lane and there is the swing line 33 which may be a line of perforations. If desired, an ordinary envelope 34 may be used without windows, but with a slide 18" having a bent-up lower portion 35, to act as a hook to hold a card or folded letter 36, which will be partially ejected upon swinging the fiap to open position as shown in FIG. 5.

These blanks may be manufactured as articles of commerce to be sold to printers for use in trade and to be printed up as required by their customers. They may be of letterhead paper, heavier stock or of cardboard material. Instead of the glue spots 26, sealing may be done by pasting the postage stamp or similar gummed wafer across the distal edge of the ap.

This invention is capable of numerous forms and varied applications without departing from the essential features herein disclosed. It is therefore intended and desired that the embodiments shown herein shall be deemed merely illustrative and not restrictive and that the patent shall cover all patentable novelty herein set forth; reference being had to the following claims rather than to the specific description and showings herein, to indicate the scope of this invention.

I claim:

1. In `a piece of advertisement mail of the character described, made of paper material, an envelope structure made of a blank including a first panel intermediate, contiguous and joined to a second panel and a fiap; the juncture of said panels being in a line; the juncture of the first panel and said fiap being in a line; in said envelope structure, said panels being positioned opposite each other, and said flap being flat against and in overlapping relation with the second panel; the distance between the line of juncture of said panels and the line of juncture of the first panel and said fiap, being greater than the distance between the line of juncture of said panels and that edge of the second panel which is nearest to the line of juncture of said flap and the first panel; said lines of juncture being straight and parallel, and a fiat slide extending between and along said panels; said slide being attached to said fiap for swinging movement about a line on the surface of said fiap which is nearest said first panel; said line of swinging movement being parallel to, and spaced from the line of juncture of the flap with said first panel, a distance not greater than the distance from the line of juncture of the flap with the first panel, to the said edge of the second panel whereby on swinging said ap away from said panels, the slide will move outward of said envelope structure.

2. An article as defined in claim 1, including means on said slide releasably carrying an element, whereby on swinging said fiap away from said panels, said element will extend at least in part out of said envelope structure.

3. An article as defined in claim 1, wherein the second panel is provided with a window exposing part of said slide, said slide having indicia thereon at a region other than said exposed part whereby on swinging said ap away from said panels, said indicia will be exposed at said window.

4. An article as defined in claim 1 wherein the flap is releasably adhered to said second panel at an intermediate region of said envelope structure.

5. An article as defined in claim 1, wherein the second panel is provided with a window exposing part of said slide; said exposed part of the slide having an address noted thereon; said address including the name of the sendee; said second panel having a second window exposing another part of the slide and so positioned that upon swing said ap away from said panel, said name only will be exposed at said second window.

6. An article as deiined in claim 1, wherein said slide is perforated along its line for swinging movement.

7. An article as dened in claim 1, wherein said slide is integral with said ap; their line of juncture being at that edge of the ap which is away and spaced from the line of juncture of said flap with the first panel; said line for swinging movement `of said slide being a fold line in said slide spaced from said line of juncture of said slide and flap.

8. An article as defined in claim 7, wherein said fold line for swinging movement of the slide, is perforated.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner. D. T. MOORHEAD, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A PIECE OF ADVERTISEMENT MAIL OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED, MADE OF PAPER MATERIAL, AN ENVELOPE STRUCTURE MADE OF THE BLANK INCLUDING A FIRST PANEL INTERMEDIATE CONTINGUOUS AND JOINED TO A SECOND PANEL AND A FLAP; THE JUNCTURE OF SAID PANELS BEING IN A LINE; THE JUNCTURE OF THE FIRST PANEL AND SAID FLAP BEING A LINE; IN SAID ENVELOPE STRUCTURE, SAID PANELS BEING POSITIOINED OPPOSITE EACH OTHER, AND SAID FLAP BEING FLAT AGAINST AND IN OVERLAPPING RELATION WITH THE SECOND PANEL; THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THE LINE OF JUNCTURE OF SAID PANELS AND THE LINE OF JUNCTURE OF THE FIRST PANEL AND SAID FLAP, BEING GREATER THAN THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THE LINE OF JUNCTURE OF SAID PANELS AND THAT EDGE OF THE SECOND PANEL WHICH IS NEARSET TO THE LINE OF JUNCTURE OF SAID FLAP AND THE FIRST PANEL; SAID LINES OF JUNCTURE BEING STRAIGHT AND PARALLEL, AND A FLAT SLIDE EXTENDING BETWEEN AND ALONG SAID PANELS; SAID SLIDE BEING ATTACHED TO SAID FLAP FOR SWINGING MOVEMENT ABOUT A LINE ON THE SURFACE OF SAID FLAP WHICH IS NEAREST SAID FIRST PANEL; SAID LINE OF SWINGING MOVEMENT BEING PARALLEL TO, AND SPACED FROM THE LINE OF JUNCTURE OF THE FLAP WITH SAID FIRST PANEL, A DISTANCE NOT GREATER THAN THE DISTANCE FROM THE LINE OF JUNCTURE OF THE FLAP WITH THE FIRST PANEL, TO THE SAID EDGE OF THE SECOND PANEL WHEREBY ON SWINGING SAID FLAP AWAY FROM SAID PANELS, THE SLIDE WILL MOVE OUTWARD OF SAID ENVELOPE STRUCTURE. 